| Abstract | Vjekoslav Alois Bastl (1872.-1947.) jedan je od predvodnika hrvatske arhitektonske protomoderne na početku dvadesetog stoljeća. Arhitekt češkog porijekla proveo je većinu života u Zagrebu gdje je realizirao većinu projekata tijekom gotovo četiri desetljeća duge karijere. Prošao je razvojni put od prvotnog obrazovanja u duhu historicizma, preko projektantskih faza secesije i neoklasicizma do završnog razdoblja pod utjecajem internacionalnog stila. Temeljnu naobrazbu završio je na Kraljevskoj obrtnoj školi u Zagrebu gdje je u razdoblju od 1892. do 1896. godine pohađao novoosnovano arhitektonsko usmjerenje Razdjela za obrazovanje graditelja i pomoćnog im osoblja. Praksu je stekao u vodećem zagrebačkom projektantskom i građevinskom poduzeću na prijelomu stoljeća, poduzeću Hönigsberg i Deutsch od 1895. do 1899. godine. Angažman svjedoči o rano iskazanom talentu i sposobnosti mladog Bastla. U kratkom roku je prošao put od suradnika do glavnog projektanta i zgradom Pečić (Zagreb, Ilica 43, 1899.) uveo bečki modernizam oslonjen na vagnerijansku secesiju u poduzeće i zagrebačku arhitekturu. Ključno razdoblje njegove karijere započelo je obrazovanjem na Akademiji likovnih umjetnosti u Beču na Specijalnoj školi arhitekture pod vodstvom profesora Otta Wagnera od 1899. do 1902. godine. Tijekom trogodišnjeg školovanja na prestižnom europskom studiju arhitekture Bastl je uspješno usvojio i počeo primjenjivati temeljne postulate novog pristupa projektiranju. Studentski projekti nastali pod utjecajem secesije svjedoče o visokoj razini razumijevanja modernističkih težnji u pristupu funkciji, konstrukciji i estetici. Pokazuju primjenu tlocrtnih modela, oblikovnih obrazaca i dekorativnih motiva karakterističnih za Wagnerovu školu, ali uz neizostavnu Bastlovu inovativnost. Zbog toga je njegove radove prepoznala i visoko valorizirala inozemna, a zatim i domaća arhitektonska kritike. Dokaz su objave u bečkim stručnim časopisima i nagrade koje je primio: Gundelova nagradu Akademije likovnih umjetnosti u Beču za diplomski rad palače Znanstvenog udruženja za okultizam pored Pariza (1902.) i nagrada za natječajni projekt župne crkve Leonovog društva u Beču (1902.). Novitetima primijenjenim u studentskim radovima poslužio je kao inspiracija pojedinim europskim arhitektima te se upisao u povijest srednjoeuropske i hrvatske arhitekture. Povratkom u Zagreb 1902. godine Bastl je nastavio raditi u matičnom poduzeću Hönigsberg i Deutsch u kojem je u razdoblju do 1906. godine ostvario niz autorskih projekata i suradnji u duhu secesije. Najveći broj odnosi se na ugrađene najamne stambeno – poslovne zgrade privatnih investitora koje se ističu kvalitetnom tlocrtnom dispozicijom i inventivnim rješenjima oblikovanja eksterijera prepoznatljivih u gradskim vizurama. Najviši dosezi Bastlove kvalitete i kreacije povezani su sa zgradama Trgovačko – obrtnog muzeja (danas Etnografskog muzeja, Zagreb, Trg Mažuranića 14, 1902.-1903.) te palače Hrvatsko – slavonske zemaljske centralne štedionice (Zagreb, Ilica 25/Gundulićeva 2), posljednjeg projekta na kojem je surađivao unutar poduzeća Hönigsberg i Deutsch. Od 1906. godine projektirao je samostalno u vlastitom ateljeu. Motiv za osamostaljenje bila su ograničenja rada u velikom poduzeću, ali i udruživanje druge generacije akademski obrazovanih arhitekata s ciljem promicanja arhitektonske struke i suvremenog pristupa projektiranju. Zajedno s Viktorom Kovačićem, Stjepanom Podhorskym i Edom Schönom Bastl je 1905. godine pokrenuo osnivanje Kluba hrvatskih arhitekta koji je ostvario velik napredak za arhitektonsku profesiju. Odlazak iz poduzeća odrazio se i na Bastlov odmak od dotadašnjeg stilskog izričaja. Napustio je secesiju i pod utjecajem europskih arhitektonskih trendova postupno prihvatio neoklasicizam koji je interpretirao u vlastitoj individualiziranoj varijanti. Nakon nekoliko godina obilježenih sudjelovanjima na natječajima i s vrlo malo realiziranih projekata, stečeno iskustvo i ugled kapitalizirao je radom na nekoliko javnih zagrebačkih zgrada koje je financirala državna ili gradska uprava. Ističu se projekti Kraljevskog sveučilišnog ludžbenog zavoda (1913.-1914.), Ekonomsko-komercijalne visoke škole (1927.-1928.) i Gradske tržnice Dolac (1926.-1930.), najvećeg projekta realiziranog u suradnji s Karlom Vajdom. Najznačajnija inozemna izvedba bio je Dom Činovničke zadruge u Beogradu (Ulica kralja Milana 16/Dobrinjska, natječajni rad 1912., realizacija 1922.-1923.) koji je predstavljen na EXPO-u u Parizu 1925. godine. Posljednji projekti nastali krajem dvadesetih i početkom tridesetih godina dvadesetog stoljeća nastali su pod utjecajem internacionalnog stila unutar kojeg nikada nije ostvario vrhunsku kvalitetu ranih radova. U ovoj fazi istakao se projekt rekonstrukcije župne crkve sv. Petra s dogradnjom župnog stana u Zagrebu (Vlaška 93, 1930.-1932.). Osim projektantskog rada velik dio radnog vijeka proveo je kao profesor na Državnoj srednjoj tehničkoj školi u Zagrebu, a paralelno se tijekom čitavog života bavio astrološkom i okultnom problematikom. Vjekoslav Alois Bastl zajedno s Viktorom Kovačićem drži poziciju vodećeg hrvatskog protomodernista. Razlog je rano prihvaćenje modernističkih stavova i realizacija projekata visoke kvalitete na početku dvadesetog stoljeća, u vrijeme kada Kovačićevo promicanje teorijskih stavova stjecajem okolnosti nije bilo praćeno adekvatnim brojem izvedbi. U kasnijim razdobljima od strane arhitektonske kritike nije prepoznat kao vodeći hrvatski arhitekt. Unatoč tome, specifičnom interpretacijom neoklasicizma i realizacijom projekata velikih javnih zgrada tijekom druge i treće dekade potvrdio se kao kvalitetan predstavnika generacije te zajedno s Kovačićem, Ehrlichom i Schönom pripada značajnim arhitektima prve polovice dvadesetog stoljeća. |
| Abstract (english) | Vjekoslav Alois Bastl (1872-1947) is one of the forerunners of early modern Croatian architecture at the beginning of the 20th century. The architect of Czech background spent most of his life in Zagreb, where he realised the majority of his projects during almost four decades of his career. His development went from the beginnings of his education in the spirit of Historicist architecture, through phases of designing in the styles of Secession and Neoclassicism, to the final stage where he was under the influence of International style. He finished his basic training in The Arts and Crafts School in Zagreb, where, from 1892 to 1896 he attended the newly found architectural Department for the education of builders and support staff. He worked as an intern in Zagreb’s leading designer and building atelier at the turn of the century, the Hönigsberg and Deutsch Bureau from 1895 to 1899. This engagement is the proof of an early developed talent and competence of young Bastl. In very short time, he worked his way up from an associate to the main architect, and with the Pečić building (Zagreb, 43 Ilica St., 1899) introduced Viennese modernism relying on Wagnerian Secession to both the Bureau and Zagreb architecture. The crucial period in his career started with the education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Special School of Architecture department, under the leadership of professor Otto Wagner, from 1899 to 1902. During the three-year education at this prestigious European university of architecture, Bastl successfully implemented and started applying basic postulates of the new approach to design. Student projects made under the influence of Secession witness his high level of understanding modernist pursuits in their approach to function, construction, and aesthetics. They show the application of ground plan models, design patterns and decorative motifs characteristic for the Wagner school, but with an indispensable touch of innovation from Bastl himself. That was the reason why his work was acknowledged and highly acclaimed from the architectural critics from both home and abroad. Proof can be seen in Viennese scientific magazines, which published his work, and in the rewards he was given: The Gundel prize of The Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna for the graduate work of Palace of the Scientific Occult Society near Paris (1902), and the prize for the competition project of parish church of the Leon Society in Vienna (1902). The novelties, which he applied in his student’s work, served as an inspiration to some European architects, thus making his mark in the history of the mid-European and Croatian architecture. Returning to Zagreb in 1902, Bastl continued to work in his parent bureau Hönigsberg and Deutsch, where, until 1906 he made a lot of author projects and cooperation in the Secessionist spirit. The majority of the projects refer to residential and commercial buildings owned by private investors, which are distinguished by their high quality ground plans and innovative solutions of exterior design, recognizable within the city vista. The highest peaks of Bastl’s quality and creation are visible in the buildings of The Museum of Trade and Crafts (today the building of Ethnographic Museum, Zagreb, 14 Mažuranić Square, 1902-1903), and in the palace of The Central Savings Bank of Croatia and Slavonia (Zagreb, 25 Ilica St./2 Gundulićeva St.), the last project he cooperated on within Hönigsberg and Deutsch Bureau. Since 1906, he started working independently, in his own studio. His motives for independence were not only the restrictions of working within a large bureau, but also the merging of the second generation of highly educated architects with the aim of promoting the architectural trade, as well as modern approach to designing. In 1905, together with Viktor Kovačić, Stjepan Podhorsky and Edo Schön, Bastl initiated the founding of the Club of Croatian Architects, which was a great step forward in the architectural profession. Leaving the Bureau, Bastl was further removed from his former style. He left the Secession, and slowly, under the influence of European trends, embraced the Neoclassicism, which he interpreted in his highly individualised version. The next few years were marked by participation in competitions and very few carried out projects. Then his experience and reputation were justified when he was commissioned to design some public buildings in Zagreb, financed by the state or city administration. Among the most important projects are: The University Institute of Chemistry (1913-1914), the Economic-Commercial High School (1927-1928), and Dolac City market (1926-1930), the biggest project realised in cooperation with Karlo Vajda. The most important work abroad was The Clerks’ Bank in Belgrade (16 King Milan St./ Dobrinjska St., project 1912, execution 1922-1923), presented in EXPO in Paris 1925. The last projects made out at the end of 1920s and the beginning of 1930s, show the influence of the international style, within which Bastl never accomplished the high quality of his early works. In this phase, one work is distinguished, and that is the project of the reconstruction of the parish church of St.Peter’s, and the flat annex for a resident priest in Zagreb (93 Vlaška St., 1930-1932). Apart from his work as an architect, Bastl spent a good part of his life as a teacher at State Polytechnic School in Zagreb, and took a keen interest in astrology and the occult throughout his life. Vjekoslav Alois Bastl together with Viktor Kovačić holds the position of a leading figure of the early modern architecture in Croatia. The reason lies in the early acceptance of modernist movement and realisations of high quality projects at the beginning of the 20th century, at the time when Kovačić’s promotion of theoretical opinions were not followed by adequate number of executions. In later periods, architectural critics did not accept his status as one of the leading Croatian architects. Despite that, by special interpretation of Neoclassicism and the realisation of projects of large public buildings during the 1920s and 1930s, Bastl affirmed himself as a representative of a generation of a great quality, and together with Kovačić, Ehrlich and Schön, belongs to important architects of the first part of the 20th century. |
